Go behind the scenes with Nissan as they get ready ahead of the V8 Supercar Championship.

THE "Car of the Future" is now the V8 Supercar of the present. So how is it different from the models of previous years? Let us explain.

Put simply, the 'DNA' of V8 Supercar racing will not change this year when the new generation of cars takes over from the Falcons and Commodores that previously made up the grid.

The cars still feature V8 engines, rear-wheel drive and four doors. They also continue to make the same roar and be just as fast, if not actually faster.

All cars on the grid now feature an identical "control chassis", which is cheaper and will make it easier for other manufacturers to build a V8 Supercar.

Reducing costs is a key focus of COTF and it's expected that the cost of building a new car will reduce by around half in comparison to a current specification machine. As a direct result, any repairs to the new cars will also be cheaper and less labour intensive.

Expanding the calendar and racing more often — which is the long-held goal of V8 Supercars Chairman Tony Cochrane, who has stated his desire for up to 18 events in future — has become far more practical.

V8 Supercar drivers chat about hitting the track for the first time this season.

Safety improvements were also of paramount importance for the COTF project.

The new cars have a fuel tank that has been moved forward from the boot and sits inside the main chassis. That means the fireball that engulfed Karl Reindler's car at Barbagallo last year would be less likely in future in the case of a rear-end collision.

A collapsible steering column, new fire extinguisher system and added side protection are all features of the new Supercars, while windscreens are polycarbonate and the overall weight of the car has dropped by about 100kg.

Engines have been positioned 100mm further rearwards for safety as well as reducing costs in the case of severe accident damage, and Independent Rear Suspension and a transaxle gearbox are more reflective of modern road cars.

There has also been a move to an 18-inch tyre – slightly bigger than the long-used 17-inch – with Dunlop retaining the deal to provide rubber to the series after signing a new deal that will take them through to 2017 as official tyre supplier.

A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites.